Where’s my refund?
Where’s my refund 2023 – Track your tax return and IRS refund status
Tax season is upon us, and for millions of Americans, that means one thing: where’s my refund? The IRS issues billions of dollars in refunds each year, and with the current economic uncertainty, many people are left wondering if their refund will be on time, or if they will have to wait.
There are various factors that could be playing a role in the delay of your refund after filing your individual income tax return. How long do you have to wait before receiving your money? How quickly you receive your tax refund depends on:
- when you file
- how you file (paper tax return or e-file),
- how you choose to receive your money (direct deposit or refund check), and
- whether you claim certain credits and deductions (recovery rebate credit, earned income credit, additional child tax credit).
Usually, the IRS issues most tax refunds within 21 days of filing online or six weeks of mailing your paper return. After your e-filed return for the current year has been accepted, you can use the IRS tax refund tracker to track your refund. It provides a refund date once the IRS processes your tax return and approves your tax refund.
This refund tracker’s name is: Where’s my refund , if you are on a smartphone you can use the IRS2GO mobile app.
Check IRS refund status
To use whrere’s my refund, you need these specific personal information:
1 – Your social security number or individual taxpayer identification number shown on your tax return.
2 – Your filing status – It could be Single, Married-filing joiny return, Married-filling separate return, Head of Household, or Qualifying Widow(er)
3 – Your exact refund amount – Providing the whole dollar amount is essential to receiving the correct response.
Important facts about where’s my refund:
- Check if it is at least 24 hours after e-filing your current year tax return
- 3 or 4 days after e-filing any or both 2 previous tax years (2020 and 2021)
- Expect delays if you mailed your return or responded to an IRS notice (Up to 6 months for mailed returns)
- IRS updates refund status daily, usually overnight
- Where’s my refund now provides refund information for the three most recent tax years. It is also available in Spanish
After correctly entering your information in where is my refund, a new page will open that shows your tax refund status. A progress bar with the three following messages indicates your tax return status.
- Received : The IRS now has your tax return for the current tax year and is working to process it.
- Refund approved : Return has been processed and refund amount confirmed.
- Sent : The money is on its way to your bank or as a paper check to your mailbox.
Your Tax Return is still being processed
If you see “ Your tax return is still being processed ” while checking your IRS refund status, don’t panic! The date you get your federal tax refund depends on how you filed your return. The IRS states that some tax returns take longer to process than others for many reasons, including when a return:
- Includes errors
- Is incomplete
- Is affected by identity theft or tax fraud
- Contains a claim filed for an Earned Income Tax Credit
- Involves a Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation, which could take up to 14 weeks to process
- Needs further review in general. In this case, the IRS may request additional information.
If you submitted your federal tax return by postal service, the IRS says it could take six to eight weeks for your tax refund to arrive. The Internal Revenue Service will contact you by mail when they need more information to process your return.
Don’t file a second tax return. If you’re due a refund from your tax return, you should wait to get it before filing IRS Form 1040-X to amend your original tax return.
When should I call the IRS to check my refund?
You should call only if:
- It’s been 21 days or more since you e-filed
- It’s been more than 6 weeks since you mailed your paper return
- Where’s my refund tool says: “we can provide more information to you over the phone”.
Follow these tips to cut your wait time and talk to a live person at the IRS.
Will where’s my refund tool give me my IRS amended return status?
No, Where’s my refund will not give you information about amended tax returns. Where’s My Amended Return will let you know the status of your IRS amended return. Calling about amended returns? Remember that IRS phone and walk-in representatives can only give you information about your amended return 16 weeks or more after its mailing. If your concern is about: “where’s my refund state”, verify with your state for specific information.
Will wheres my refund tool give me my stimulus check status?
No, Where’s my refund will not give you information about stimulus check status. Get My Payment (where’s my stimulus) will let you know the status of your third Economic Impact Payment. The first and second stimulus checks no longer appear in Get My Payment .
To find the amounts of these stimulus checks, view or create your online account. You can also refer to Notice 1444 for the first payment and Notice 1444-B for the second stimulus check. The IRS mailed these notices to the address on file.
Prior year tax refunds
It is important to remember that you have a right to a refund if you have filed a prior year tax return and have been the victim of fraud. However, it is also important to remember that there is a period of limitation associated with requesting such a refund. The period of limitation for requesting a prior year refund is three years from the date of filing. Therefore, it is important to act promptly to ensure that you receive your refund in a timely manner.
It is crucial to remember that a prior year refund request may take several weeks or even months to process. Be mindful of the time frames and processes associated with such requests in order to ensure a successful refund request. Professionalism is key when dealing with tax and refund matters, and any questions should be addressed to the relevant tax authority.